Xiao Yu quickened the pace of his steed as he neared home. He had been gone for five years, although his isolated training had been successful he could not wait to return home and see his bright eyed little brother and prove that he had returned and was just fine.
Manglong was only seven at the time but he had begged and pleaded for his big brother not to go. Xiao Yu smiled at the thought of his youngest brother always into mischief.
"Ha, I'm concerned how Zheng could have survived without me" he chuckled to himself "ah, I wonder how much the two of them have progressed in there martial arts, bother, I hope Manglong hasn't grown to tall in my absence."
Xiao Yu was on cloud nine as he rode into the estate and took his horse toward the stables but something was wrong, he got there but nothing looked suspicious. He tried to brush it off as his little brother perfecting his art but after arriving safely at his pavilion he began panick.
Dropping the small bundle he had been carrying on the front steps he took off for the blue star pavilion the one assigned to Manglong. As he burst through the doors he noticed that the place had not been well cared for.
"Wait! Stop! Young master please wait" several servants tried to stop him as he rushed up the stairs but he ignored them the maid in front made one final attempt "the third young master is currently taking his medicine" but that only made it worse and they gave up as he flung the door wide open.
Inside the room a boy sat on the bed drinking from a large bowl, his eyes a dead milky gray stared out into nothing, his long silky black hair flowed down his back and hung in front of his face, his robe hung loosely over his thin frame suddenly Xiao Yu's thoughts were interrupted as the maid pushed past him to leave not even bothering to to take the bowl from the boy's hands.
Xiao Yu turned back to look again, more carefully this time and yes this pitiful child was his brother.
Manglong had stopped drinking as soon as the maid left, the bowl still a quarter full when he dropped it, liquid spilling out as the bowl rolled across the floor finally stoping at Xiao Yu's feet.
"Cough" it started again "cough cough" Manglong gripped his throat as he fell off they bed landing with a loud thud on the floor, green liquid dribbling from the corner of his mouth adding to the puddle that was already there.
Suddenly strong arms lifted him up and placed him back on the bed.
"Sit in the lotus position" Xiao Yu commanded, Manglong compliantly obeyed. A warm energy began to permeate throughout his body as the person behind him pressed his hands against his back, it paused but then continued with even more determination.
After it was done Manglong sighed as he felt for the head of the bed, crawling up to a pillow he grabbed it and curled up, even though he felt somewhat better he was still absolutely miserable.
"Here, let me wipe that off" the voice was gentle but Manglong flinched back as the cloth brushed his face.
Xiao Yu's stomach sank as his little brother pulled away from him but then he got angry, after examining the liquid from earlier he had realized it was a slow acting but painfull poison. 'Who would be so cruel and why would they go for the youngest anyway?'
As he watched Manglong grope his way around XiaoYu began to truly realize that his little brother was actually and completely blind. Feeling sick he turned around and began cleaning up the floor, once he had pulled himself together he picked up the now sleeping child and headed to medical pavilion.
Manglong's labored breathing was slow and ruff as Xiao Yu placed him on the bed.
"You did well imbuing your international energy into him if you hadn't done it in time the young master would have died" the head physician looked down at Manglong sollomly "it looks as though someone has been poisoning him for a while" said the physician as he examined Manglong carefully
"But he isn't one to go down easily" Xiao Yu commented.
"While that was true he was kidnapped by the demonic cult four years ago and only returned recently, as far as I heard he was already blind when was found but the strange thing is, I was never called to check on him after he arrived… and now I know why."
"...."
"It seems to me that they were trying finish the boy before you got home and by the looks of it they were only a few minutes late. It will take about a year for the poison to completely leave his system, I would advise finding someone trustworthy to care for him and to watch him closely."
"I will care for him myself" Xiao Yu stated, gently picking up his little brother to leave.
The next morning Manglong woke up with a small cough, he could hear the steady breathing of someone sleeping nearby and a gentle breeze from an open window.
"This isn't my room" he whispered to himself after sitting up and reaching for the bedpost, "my bed definitely doesn't have fancy curtains tided in the corners."
"Oh, good morning Manglong"
Manglong turned his head toward the voice of the person who had been sleeping just moments before, the voice was kind but most importantly it didn't call him brat or young master, this person called him by name.
"Ah, uh, g-good morning" he returned the greeting while gingerly fumbling with the blankets.
Xiao Yu watched on silently until "do you, not know my name?"
Manglong stiffened before finally answering "n-no I don't remember sorry."
Xiao Yu sat there staring blankly in shock, his little brother, his shadow didn't remember him, and it hurt.
Sensing something wrong Manglong broke the silence "You could tell me though," his voice quietly urged.
Xiao Yu looked back at his little brother reaching for him with a worried look on his small and gentle face, somehow those sightless eyes still managed to convey an instinctive concern. Xiao Yu finally managed to bring a smile onto his mouth for a moment.
"You're right, I am Xiao Yu your big brother, and, I-I'm sorry I never should have left, I'm so sorry" Xiao Yu hung his head as he stood in front of Manglong, "I'm, so, so sorry."